The Write Way!

Learn to write what’s right: A rite of passage for SEEK writers as they’re writing and citing. You can’t go wrong, right?

Use the following presentation to help guide your formal writing not only in SEEK class but in many of your other classes as well.

Ready… Set…

Write!

“I believe in miracles in every area of life except writing. Experience has shown me that there are no miracles in

writing. The only thing that produces good writing is hard work.”

–American author Isaac Bashevis Singer

INTRODUCTIONS… SO WHAT? WHO CARES?

"Tell me something new about something I care about." – Canadian journalist Barbara Frum

An introduction is important. It is your paper’s first impression! It… Introduces the topic Gets the reader interested Tackles the “So what? Who cares?” factor

When writing my paper do I have to write my introduction first? Absolutely not. Some students feel more confident launching into

the body of their paper and return to write the introduction later. However, other students like to write the introduction first in order to set up the rest of their paper.

INTRODUCTIONS There are a lot of ways to hook the reader and make your

topic fascinating. Do not settle for “I’m going to tell you about black holes” or “My paper is about dogs.”

1. Begin with a quotation. Make sure you explain its relevance.

Lyndon B. Johnson, the 36th President of the United States, believed, “the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different than other men.” I share the same sentiment as President Johnson. In this election year, people must exercise their responsibility to vote in order to champion those citizens of our own nation who are denied the most basic of human rights…

INTRODUCTIONS2. Begin with a question.

How small would you say that small really is?  Is something you can hold in your hand, like a blueberry, small?  How about a grain of sand?  Yes, it's true we could call those things small.  You'll find much, MUCH smaller things--things you cannot ordinarily see.  Unless of course you look through a microscope.  The world of the Very Small is almost unbelievably tiny, and hard to imagine.  But it's quite real.  In fact, it's just as real as a blueberry.  Everyone knows you can stretch your mind by thinking big.  Do you suppose it's also possible to stretch your mind by thinking small?

3. Begin with an acknowledgment of an opinion opposite to the one you plan to take.

Let’s face it, America is addicted to foreign oil, and gas prices for our automobiles continue to soar. Our dependence on a resource that is not readily available in our own country has caused many U.S. politicians to propose lifting the ban on offshore drilling in Alaska because they believe domestic oil will greatly reduce the cost of gas. Instead of drilling untouched nature, the future lies in alternate fuel sources…

INTRODUCTIONS4. Begin with a very short narrative or anecdote that has a

direct bearing on your paper.

I can tell when it is time for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.  I don't even have to look on the calendar.  I can tell because we get a lot of mail.  Every year people we know send cards to wish me and my family a happy and healthy new year.  La Shana Tova, they say in Hebrew...

5. Begin with an interesting fact.

In 1619 a Dutch frigate landed at Jamestown, Virginia.  Twenty Africans, the first to be brought to America and sold, were part of its cargo.  The sale of these Africans is generally considered to be the beginning of slavery in Colonial America.

INTRODUCTIONS6. Begin with a definition or explanation of a term relevant to

your paper.

Most people use the word "bug" to mean all sorts of creepy-crawlies, from beetles and flies to spiders and centipedes.  There are well over a million different kinds, or species, of bugs.  Of all the animal species we know about, around three-quarters are bugs.

7. Begin with an analogy. Make sure it's original but not too far-fetched.

Lately, political debates in my household have become quite intense.  My mom, the democrat, and my dad, the republican are like amateur boxers and the boxing ring is our living room while MSNBC commentary plays in the background.  They are constantly throwing jabs at the other--insulting the ideals of the opposing candidate and his running mate.  If only my parents could communicate and utilize a bit of conflict resolution...

THE MIDDLE OF THE PAPER… IT DOES A BODY GOOD!

Organizing the middle of your paper…

By space: begin with the big impression and then move gradually to smaller details.

By time: chronologically. Begin with what matters—specific events but not every one.

By content: group details together by subcategories.

By perspective: begin with a clear statement of your position. Then, lay out the arguments in favor of it and against it.

THE MIDDLE OF THE PAPER… IT DOES A BODY GOOD!

Transitions: connecting words and phrases help readers see how one idea ties to another. To show location: above, beneath, amid, beside, beyond, in

front of, in back of

To compare and contrast: similarly, but, however, conversely, even so, otherwise, even though, on the other hand, in the same way

To show time: first, second, third, next, later, then, afterward, soon, after a while, in the meantime

To conclude or summarize: finally, to sum up, to clarify, as a result, in short, in summary, in conclusion

To add information: besides, in addition, for example, furthermore, equally important

CONCLUSIONSThere’s more to a conclusion than just saying, “I learned a lot. The

End.”

The conclusion of your paper should… Round out the writing Tie up details—synthesize your information instead of

summarizing Leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction and

resolution

There are many ways to do this…

CONCLUSIONS1. Echoing the introduction: Echoing your introduction can be a good

strategy if it is meant to bring the reader full-circle. If you begin by describing a scenario, you can end with the same scenario as proof that your essay was helpful in creating a new understanding.

Introduction From the parking lot, I could see the towers of the castle of the Magic Kingdom standing stately against the blue sky. As I entered the gate, Main Street stretched before me with its quaint shops evoking an old-fashioned small town so charming it could never have existed. I was entranced. Disney World may have been built for children, but it brings out the child in adults.

ConclusionI thought I would spend only a few hours at Disney World, but here I was at 1:00 A.M., closing time, leaving the front gates with the now dark towers of the Magic Kingdom behind me. I could see tired children, toddling along and struggling to keep their eyes open as best they could. Others slept in their parents' arms as we waited for the tram that would take us back to our hotels around the resort. My feet ached, and I felt a bit sad to think that in a couple of days I would be leaving Orlando, my vacation over, to go back to being a fulltime college student. But then I smiled to think that for at least a day I felt ten years old again.

CONCLUSIONS2. Challenging the reader: By issuing a challenge to your

readers, you are helping them to redirect the information in the paper, and they may apply it to their own lives.

Though serving on a jury is not only a civic responsibility but also an interesting experience, many people still view jury duty as a chore that interrupts their jobs and the routine of their daily lives. However, juries are part of America's attempt to be a free and just society. Thus, jury duty challenges us to be interested and responsible citizens.

3. Looking to the future: Looking to the future can emphasize the importance of your paper or redirect the readers' thought process. It may help them apply the new information to their lives or see things more globally.

Without well-qualified teachers, schools are little more than buildings and equipment. If higher-paying careers continue to attract the best and the brightest students, there will not only be a shortage of teachers, but the teachers available may not have the best qualifications. Our youth will suffer. And when youth suffers, the future suffers.

CONCLUSIONS4. Posing questions: Posing questions, either to your

readers or in general, may help your readers gain a new perspective on the topic, which they may not have held before reading your conclusion. It may also bring your main ideas together to create a new meaning.

Campaign advertisements should help us understand the candidate's qualifications and positions on the issues. Instead, most tell us what an idiot the opposing candidate is, or they present general images of the candidate as a family person or God-fearing American. Do such advertisements contribute to creating an informed electorate or a people who choose political leaders the same way they choose soft drinks and dish washer detergent?

CITING YOUR SOURCES Why?

To avoid plagiarizing To add validity to your argument To provide readers with additional places to learn about your topic

What? MLA format (Modern Language Association)… more than just

citations!

Where? In-text citations = throughout your paper Bibliography = at the end

Need Help!?! Call the OWL http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/ Library Web Back Pack http://

www4.smsd.org/kathleenknop/default.htm Click “Research” tab then click “Citation Web Sites” tab

IN-TEXT CITATIONS How it works

The basic rules to parenthetical citations… Use when quoting or paraphrasing from your text Do NOT use when stating common knowledge Place the citation immediately following the quote or

paraphrased idea Format:

(Author’s last name + page number)

IN-TEXT CITATIONSExamples:

Although many people enjoy the paintings of Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh and Gauguin today, “one of the chief criticisms of Impressionist and Postimpressionist painting, with its preference for land- and cityscapes and scenes from private or leisure life, was that it carried no inspirational message” (Weber 155).

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Students should learn that “the world is not tied up in neat little packages and that authorities do not always have correct answers” (Grasha 219) even when certain authority figures claim to.

IN-TEXT CITATIONS What if there isn’t an author?

Give a shortened version of the work’s title in quotes instead of the author’s name(“Modern Accounting Practices” 12)

What if it’s a website? Still cite the author and page number if this information exists

If there is no page number, just give the author (Thomas)

If neither author nor page number are given, give the corporate author… (National Park Service)

Or abbreviated title(“Underwater Basket Weaving”)

IN-TEXT CITATIONS Another way to do it:

If you use the author’s name in your sentence, only put the page number in parenthesis.

For example:

As Saint-Exupery put it best, “I need to put up with two or three caterpillars if I want to get to know the butterflies” (27).

_________________

“In most areas of the city the bomb blast had not only demolished the buildings, but swept up the wreckage as well” (202) appearing as if, according to Snyder, Nagasaki had never been a city to begin with.

Ms. Hall and Mrs. Krautmann have discussed it and come to a conclusion…

You do NOT need to write a bibliography at the end of your Research Narrative…

Because, according to MLA guidelines…

It’s not called a Bibliography, but a Work’s Cited !

WORKS CITED What?

A list of the sources referenced in the paper Alphabetized, double spaced, reverse indented

How?

Books:Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of Publication:

Publisher, Year of Publication.

Hart, Spencer. The Wright Space. New York: Barnes & Noble Books,

2005.

WORKS CITEDArticle in a News Paper, Magazine:

Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical Day

Month Year: Pages.

Page or Article on a Web Site: Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Name of Site. Date of Last

Posting. Date you accessed the site [URL address].

Email or Interview:Author. "Title of the message (if any).” or “Interview title." Personal

interview with person's name. or Email with person’s name.

Date of the message.

WORKS CITED

Let’s Practice More!You just went to the White House last weekend (September 6th) and interviewed President Barack Obama on the subject of your research topic. Write a citation in MLA format for you works cited page for this interview.

Obama, Barack. Personal interview. 6 Sept. 2010.

What if you emailed President Obama rather than interviewed him in person?

Obama, Barack. “Your Thoughts on Tofu.” Message to the author. 6 Sept. 2010. E-mail.

You ‘re ready to write now, write?